Ink ribbon feed for printing machines



Jan. 19, 1932.

H. L. THOMPSON ET AL INK RIBBON FEED FOR PRINTING MACHINES Original Filed July 28, 1928 s Sheets-Sheet 1 yaw 4% Jan. 19, 1932. H. L. THOMPSON ET AL 1,841,852

INK RIBBON FEED FOR PRINTING MACHINES Original Filed July 28, 1928 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 MW M1 L 1 4 624 1932. H. 1., THOMPSON "r AL 1,341,362

INK RIBBON FEED FOR PRINTING MACHINES Original Filed July 28,- 1928 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Iii) Patented Jan. 19, 1932 UNI ST A- T ES PATENT OFFIC HBKBERT.EL.;THQMPSN,7.OFYELGIN,AND ELI WILDERSQN, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS,.AS- SIGNOBSTO 'ADDBESSQGBAPH .GOMPANY,iOFWILMINGTON, DELAWARE, A CORPORA- TIQN .iOF JJELAWARE INK IRIBBQN -FEED FOR PRINTING MACHINES.

Original application ,filed July 28,1928, Serial-No. 296,036...

ividedand this application filed N0vember12,

1973\0. Serial =No. .4.-95,040.

This is a division of our application, Se-

rial No. 296,636, filed July 28,1928, for printing machines.

Thisinvention relates to an ink ribbon feed .for printing machines and the like; and is winding on and unwindingtherefrom; to

provide a mechanism wherein movement may be imparted to one of the spools to wind the ribbon thereon as it is unwound from the other. of the spools; to providea mechanism which-will be reversible} in order that the "ribbon ma-y 'be wound on either of the spools as it is unwound from the other of the spools; and. to. providea mechanism of simple constructionv embodying a minimum number of parts-andwhich will be eihcient and, positive inoperation.

In the Selected embodiment .of our. invention ;illustrate.d-:in the accompanying drawingsgy F ig.=1 is a longitudinal sectional: view taken adjacent one of the side rails .of theprinting machine an-d showing our improved ribbon feed mechanism a Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view taken at substantially, the medial portion of the machine Fig.2a'is'an enlarged sectional detail view of a portion of the device shown in Fig. 2;

F ig .-;-3 is a perspective View of the supporting frame;

Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional view through the ribbon feed mechanism and Fig. 5 is a transverse section of the bed showing the manner in which the ribbon frame is mounted.

In the drawings; 5 indicates the main frame including longitudinally extending side bars on which a carriage G, embodying upper and lower parts, is mounted for reciprocal move ment on the frame. In the main frame 5 a bed 7 is provided on whicha stationary printing form may be mounted and if desired a suitable means may be provided for moving an address form, or other movable printing.

device, into relationship with the stationary printing form in the manner set forth in the previously referred to application. In the carriage a roller platen 8 isprovided which is movable, over the printing form in order.

that an impression may be made on a sheet, such as indicated by 9, fed thereto from the sheet magazine 10. The sheet is forced into printing relationship with i. the stationary printing form by the'platen and an ink ribbon is interposed between the sheet and the printing form. Such an ink ribbon is indicated'by 11' in the drawings, and this'invention particularly relates to this ink ribbon and the supporting and feeding means therefor.

A skeleton frame 12 is provided which supports a pair of removable spindles l3, and the ink ribbon is stretched across the stationary printing forms and has opposite ends thereof arranged on the spindles for winding on one of the spools as it is unwound from the other. The frame 12 includes side rails 12,

'one of which asshown in .Fig.. 5, rests in a groove provided in the bed 7 while the other of the side rails 12 bears againsta shoulder on the opposite side of the bed Y, and in this manner the ribbon frame 12 is supported on the bed 7. Clamping heads-1%, 14, ha 'ing recesses 15 are fixed to Dine 16 16- which are slidably mountedin diagonally opposite cor hers-of the ribbon frame. A spring 17 is arranged between each head 14: and the ribbon frame to normally urge the heads inwardly. The-heads 14 have ratchetteeth 18 thereon, and are provided with recesses 19 to receive the ribbon spindles. Projections 20 are arranged in slots 21 in the spindles and are received in notches 22 in the heads 14'." The ribbon is guided on cross bars 23 atthe ends'of the ribbon frame. A sliding bolt 24 is arranged in a boss 25 in the front end of the main frame, and carries a pin 26 which is adapted to be engaged by a lug 27 on the bottom of the carriage during its forward movement. An arm 28 is pivoted to the rear end of the sliding bolt and extends upwardly therefrom, and a spring 29 is attached to the rear end of the arm to normally hold the arm up so that when the carriage moves the bolt forwardly, the pin 30 on the arm will engage and operate one of the ratchets 18 for rotating the ribbon spool which is acting as a take-up spool. The spring 29 also serves to return the bolt to normal position when the carriage proceeds on its rearward movement. The forward end of the bolt is recessed at 31 to receive a lug or finger 32 to limit the forward and rearward movement of the bolt. During each forward stroke of .the carriage, the bolt 2i will cause tne ratchet to turn slightly towind some of the ribbon from one spindle onto the other spindle. When, however, one spindle is nearly wound and the other nearly unwound, the entire frame 12 may be turned end for end on the printing form, and inasmuch as the ratchets are located diagonally opposit the spools from which the ribbon is being unwound will now be in position to do the winding.

A plate 33 is pivoted to the frame at 34, and it carries a clip 35 made of spring metal and having knobs 36, which extend through holes 37 in the mask 38. The cross bars 23 of the ribbon frame are provided with recesses 39 to receive the knobs 36. A mask 38 having printing openings is provided with the holes 37 so that the knobs 36 may project therethrough to hold the mask on the plate 33. In the form shown, this mask allows certain portions of the body form and the address form to be printed and prevents the laten from coming in contact with the ribon at the end of the printing stroke.

While we have illustrated and described a selected embodiment of our invention it is to be understood that this is capable of variation and modification, and we therefore do not wish to be limited to the precise details set forth but desire to avail ourselves of such changes and modifications as fall within the scope of the following claims.

We claim:

. 1. A printing machine comprising a frame having a printing form thereon, a carriage movable on said frame, a ribbon frame, a roller mounted on each end of said ribbon frame for supporting an ink ribbon, a ratchet connected to each roller, and means operated by the carriage for rotating one of said ratchets to wind the ribbon, said frame being adapted to be turned end for end and controlled by the same means for rewinding the ribbon.

2. In a printing machine comprising a frame having a printing form thereon, a carriage movable on said frame, a ribbon frame, means for supporting the ribbon frame, a roller mounted on each end of said ribbon frame for supporting an ink ribbon, ratchets connected to said rollers at opposite corners of the frame, and means operated by the earriage for rotating one of the ratchets.

3. A printing machine comprising a frame having a printing form thereon, a carriage movable on said frame, a ribbon frame, a roller mounted on each end of said ribbon frame for supporting an ink ribbon, a ratchet connected to each roller, and means operated by the carriage for rotating one of said ratchets to wind the ribbon.

4. In a printing machine including a. bed, a ribbon frame, means for removably supporting said ribbon frame on said bed, ribbon receiving rollers at opposite ends of the frame and having a ribbon thereon arranged for.

winding on one of the rollers as it is unwound from the other roller, ratchets on said rollers, and means for operating one of said ratchets.

In a printing machine including a bed, a ribbon frame, means for removably supporting said ribbon frame on said bed, ribbon receiving rollers on opposite ends ofthe frame and having a ribbon thereon arranged for winding on one of the rollers as it is unwound from the other roller, a ratchet on each of stlitl rollers, said ratchets being disposed at opposite ends of said rollers, means in said printing machine for operating one of said ratchets whereby said frame may be manipulated from said supporting bed and turned to engage the other of the ratchets with the operating means.

(3. A printing machine including a bed, a substantially rectangular ribbon frame, means for rcmovably supporting said ribbon frame on said bed, ribbon receiving rollers on opposite ends of the frame and having a ribbon thereon arranged for winding on one of the rollers as it is unwound from the other of the rollers, ratchets on said rollers arranged at diagonally opposite corners of said frame, and means in said machine for operating on one of said ratchets whereby the ribbon may be wound on the roller associated with the ratchet engaged by said operating means.

7. A printing machine including a bed, a ribbon frame embodying side rails, means on said bed for removably supporting the side rails of said frame to hold said frame in said machine, ribbon rollers in said frame adapted to have a ribbon arranged thereon for winding .on one roller as it is unwound from the other roller, and means for operating one of said rollers to wind the ribbon thereon.

HERBERT L. THOMPSON. ELI \VILDERSON. 

